Laundry Time!

Okay…I feel a little boring to post about laundry, but now as I am jobless, many of the household chores are now mine ALONE. Eek! House work is not my forte, as many of you know…I used to hate it. But I changed my perception of it when it became my new job. 

Skip (source)

 

So laundry. 

It’s a dirty word in my book.  

Liquid Detergent. First off, there are almost no liquid detergents here. Can you believe it? There is one name-brand, Skip, one Pick N’ Pay brand liquid detergent, and Woolite,  in most grocery stores. I choose to use it still, because it’s what I’ve always used. And I heard that it doesn’t “gunk up” the washing machines here like powder does. 

StaSoft (source)

Fabric softener. It is made for two types of washing. Machine washing and washing by hand; the latter is “no-rinse” to make life easier. I think many people, especially those who love in townships wash clothing by hand. The most popular brand StaSoft, no Downy or Snuggle, like in the USA. Here, you can buy cheaper re-fills that you add water to. It saves money and create less waste. Perfect in my book.

Dryer Sheets. No one has ever heard of them here!! It was unbelievable when we first looked for them. We have only found them in one grocery store, a brand called SpunSoft. And the check-out lady had no clue what it was. The fabric softener here also takes care of the dryer’s needs. We have not used them after a few months. Our clothes are basically the same…

SpunSoft (source)

The washing machines are typically front-load and are smaller than the Bosch we had back in the USA. This means I have to do more loads…waaah! I typically do 1-2 loads ever 2-3 days, it averages out to about 7 loads a week. I’m sure all the mothers out there are laughing at me right now…and that’s ok. I’m preparing myself slowly.

Laundromats. Self-serve Laundromats are few and far between. If you don’t have access to a washing machine and don’t want to hand wash everything, typically, you would bring all your clothing and unmentionables to a Laundromat where they will wash and fold your things for you. We have not done this, but I have taken our doggie bed (a large queen-sized comforter) to one  because it didn’t fit in our washer. It cost me 65 Rand, basically $10! Ugh. Luckily our washer at our new place fits it just right. 

Where is your and dryer? In the USA, I’ve had washers in sheds and in basements. Here, we have had it in a room accessible from the outside, and both fit; in our new place, the washer in in the bathroom and the dryer in the ground floor common room. I know that in Europe, washers are often in the kitchen. I’ve never liked the kitchen idea; the bathroom is growing on me. However I think that most people in the USA do not like it in the bathroom.  What are your thoughts on placement of washers and dryers?

Since moving to our new place, we have a clothesline as well, so I have been using it for some things, to save energy for SA and money for my landlord. I’ve learned that I’d rather tumble dry my towels because they become stiff as a board outside. Sometimes I’ll dry my clothes outside to “nearly dry” them tumble them a bit to get them a little softer. Kinda works.

I know, really deep… haha.

Song of the Post: Hands Clean by Alanis Morissette